48th annual GMA Dove Awards set for Oct. 17 at Lipscomb

By Lacey Klotz | Oct 10, 2017

On Tuesday, Oct. 17, thousands of musicians, producers, industry leaders and fans will gather on Lipscomb University’s campus to celebrate the 48th annual GMA Dove Awards at 6:30 p.m. CST in Allen Arena. Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) will exclusively air the awards show on Sunday, October 22, reaching over 100 million viewers in the U.S., plus global and multi-platform distribution.

Award-winning singer-songwriter Kari Jobe and Gospel powerhouse Tasha Cobbs Leonard will host this year’s show, and Hollyn and Tauren Wells will also team up to host the Pre-Telecast. Top nominated artists for the 48th annual Dove Awards include Zach Williams, Lauren Daigle, Chris Tomlin, Kirk Franklin and NEEDTOBREATHE. View the full list of nominees here.

“Our artists and creatives sacrifice year-round to share their sound with the world. Our theme this year is Sound the Remedy; we believe the message of Gospel and Christian music offers God’s remedy to the world,” said Jackie Patillo, president and executive director of the GMA.

Fans will have the opportunity to take part in the GMA Dove Awards VIP Experience that includes a “behind the scenes” viewing of rehearsal, red carpet photo opportunity, access to the pre-telecast and much more. The Choir Experience includes all VIP perks plus a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform with Reba McEntire during the telecast, as well as a backstage tour.

As an event sponsor, Nature Nate has launched the Honey Gives Hope campaign and is partnering with the GMA Dove Awards to provide a grant for a family to adopt a child through Show Hope, a movement to care for orphans and restore hope by breaking down barriers between waiting children and loving families.

“At Nature Nate’s, we believe that everyone’s life can be a little sweeter with music and a message of hope,” said Nature Nate’s President and CEO, Nathan Sheets. “Every day, honey gives hope through programs that support music, ministry and better health. Partnering with the 48th annual GMA Dove Awards is a natural way for our honey company to support passionate leaders in Christian music. We’re privileged to be a sponsor.”

Another event partner for this year’s show is Lifeway’s Christian Standard Bible. “We share the belief with Christian musicians everywhere that the word of God has the power to change lives,” said Lifeway Christian Resources vice president Eric Geiger. “That’s why the Christian Standard Bible is honored to partner with GMA in taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world! Congratulations to GMA and all the nominees at this year’s Dove Awards! Sound the Remedy!”

The GMA also recently added PRAZOR and SoundExchange as event partners, and during the awards show, Gospel music legend Pat Boone will be honored with the SoundExchange Fair Play Award. Presented by SoundExchange President and CEO Michael Huppe, this award recognizes the contributions of members of the entertainment community in the fight for public policy to protect all creators.

"We are excited to present the SoundExchange Fair Play Award to Pat Boone, and we are honored to do so during the premiere awards show for the Christian and Gospel genre,” Huppe said. “While we are recognizing Pat’s contributions at the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards, he has played a key role as a champion for the fair and equal treatment of creators of music spanning all genres over the past six decades. We thank him for standing up for the rights of all creators.”

The GMA Dove Awards celebrate the contributions of artists from every style of Christian/Gospel music. Nominees are determined by over 1,500 professional members, and winners will be voted on by the entire GMA membership of nearly 2,500. For more information, visit DoveAwards.com.

Founded in 1964, the Gospel Music Association serves as the face and voice for the Gospel/Christian music community and is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the Gospel through music of all styles including Pop, Rock, Praise & Worship, Urban Gospel, R&B, Hip Hop, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, Country, Latin and more. The GMA community includes agents, artists, church leaders, managers, promoters, radio personnel, record company executives, retailers, songwriters and other industry visionaries. The GMA produces the GMA Dove Awards and IMMERSE. For more on supporting the GMA or becoming a member, please visit www.gospelmusic.org.